keith ehrlich / director

filed under advertising

Some illegal immigrants in the US have spent a lifetime in this country. Many have families and loved one here. And many have worked hard as cheap labor, taking the work that nobody else will do. This is obviously a complex issue. To those opposed to amnesty for these illegal immigrants, this wraps up your argument in a nutshell. (Look closely)

In the last few years Dove, the manufacturer of soaps and beauty products has been running their Campaign for Real Beauty. The idea is a global campaign focused on a social change that recognizes that real women come in different sizes and shapes. Dove’s online viral Evolutionspot was truly something special to see; again they were punctuating the notion that real people don’t walk around looking like touched up photos.

With this kind of advertising one would think that a company like Dove is not only socially concerned about those who buy their products, but the world at large. I was terribly disappointed to see an ad created by Greenpeace designed to raise awareness of Dove’s not so friendly practices in Indonesia. Unilever the brand’s parent company is participating in trade for palm oil that is leading to the destruction of valuable forest and wildlife. See the very telling ad and lets make Unilever reconsider their trade.

Young entrepreneur Mark Ecko has helped to define the look of a generation. Starting with t-shirts, his empire has grown to include: G-Unit, Avirex, ecko unltd., and Zoo York. Recently he has branched into the interactive and entertainment worlds with Mark Ecko Entertainment and Complex Magazine. Last year Ecko pranked the world with his viral advertisement depicting a person sneaking onto a runway and tagging Air Force 1. The story was picked up by just about every major news organization, and apparently the White House actually had to investigate and confirm that the event never happened. Ecko is back at it with a new prank for his Zoo York label.